Egg crate



Jan. l, 1929. 1,697,318

B. A. LANGE EGG CRATE Filed April 7, 1924 i @atente-d dan. 1',

UNEF

EGG CRATE..

Application fue@ aprii 7, i924. serali no. relie/i2@ This invention has reference to egg-cases, such as set forth and described in my United States Patent #1,494,922, grantedli/fay 20, 1924, and provides certain specific ini` ments supplementary to the improvement covered in the aforesaid patent.

rlhe specific object oi the presentinvent-ion is to provide stifleiiing fiaiio'es on the end cellwalls of the egg-case so .to sti '-.ii the egg-.case on all four sides; the stifieiiingflan of one Astrip overlapping the projection. of

adjacent strips to provide a firm and continuous structure.

I 1n the accompanying drawings forming part of'this specii'icationin w 1.ich likeJ mini bers of reference denotes like parts wherever they occur,

Figure 1 is a plan view of an eggecase ller embodying the preferred form this inve-nl tion;

Figure 2 is an elevation ofthe same;

Figures 3 and 4 are plan views of the flanged blanks used 'in constructing the subject-matter of Figures 1 and 2;

Figures 5 and 6 are plan views of the plain blanks used in constructing the preferred embodiment depicted in Figures 1 and 2;

Figure 7 is a plan view of an alternative embodiment of this invention;

Figure 8 is an elevation of the same;

Figures 9 and 10 illustrate blanks having co-operating slits of a conventional type which may be used in lieu of the straight slits shown in Figures 1 to 8 inclusive; and

Figure 11 is a plan view of' the cutaway fianged blank used in the form depicted iii Figures 7 and 8. e The crate iiller is composed of a plurality of interlocking partitions 1 and 2 arranged at substantially a right angle. toeacli .other and fastened together by any suitable interlocking means at the points where they pass oi' join each other. This may bo accomplished by slits 3 in partitions 1, allowing partitions 1 to fit down in notches ,4: in partitions 2. Otherwise stated, the partitions 1 and 2 are each slit and turned in opposite' directions, so that each fits in the slit in lthe other. Instead of the straight slits 3 and 1, the well known form of co-operating irregular slits 5, and 6 and 7 may be used, as shown in Figures 9 and 10.

lProjections 8 prevent the transmission of l shock or j ar or slippage to the eggs inserted in t-he compartments 9, acting as a'buiier and preventing telescoping. When the said eX- tensionsorprojections 8 are bent oi' vbroken the egg breakage'vis greatly increased. The same shouldtherefore, preferablybe protected bv overlapping edges 10, which eX-,

quire stiiiening. l his is accomplished by the f arrangement' of the transverse members 11, which are arranged at substantially a right- A 'ie to the iianges k1() and may be'attached `'lei-ably toV the end .partitions 2; The flanges 10 and 11 will be'preferably formed n k 1 a L n integrai with the partitions ll or 2 from which they spring, but may be otherwise attached thereto.

lWhile the flanges 10 stiiien the crate in'one' direction, they are entirely inadequate v for stifi'ening the same in a practical manner, because they do not iinpartthe stability by themselves. They leave the iiller in a distinctly collapsible condition, which is very detrimental in egg shipments. 1t is only by the introduction of the fiange or stiftener 11 running crosswise relatively to the flange 10 that the filler assumes the desired and neces-v sary firmness and stiffness. With only the flange 10, and under the vicissitudes of transportation, the eggs will be broken by the shifting in shape of the filler.l With the addition of the flange 11, however, and the bearing down-of weight upon flanges 10 and l1, considerable rigidity is imparted to the structure as a whole, with the result that it becomes practically immovable.

The-usual diaphragm may be used between tiers of fillers.

The stiffening strip or fiange 11 preferably overlaps the projections 8 of partition 2, as

at 12, and is4 preferably located on the saine face of the crate as flange or anges 10.

In the preferred form shown in Figures 1 Figures 1 and 2 are preferable, especially when they are formed on the end partitions.

In the form shown in Figures 7 and 8, only two flanges lO and 11 at substantially right angles to each other are used, and they'are preferably formed on the neXt-to-the-end partition, although they may be formedon any of the other partitions. The flange 11 eX- tends-the full length of the strip, but the flange l() stops short of so doing at the end adjacent flange 11 a distance equal to the Width of flange 1l. The inner edges of the flanges l() and l1 are firmer than their other edges, because their inner edges are attached to the partitions l and 2. In the full construction shown. in Figure 7, the end of the (rut-away flange l() abuts against the inner side of the flange ll, thus bracing the flanges 10 and 1l together in a continuous structure.

The blank for forming the partitions l em ployed in the form of Figure 1 is depicted in Figure 6, and that for forming the partitions 2 is shown in Figure 5. The blank for forming the partitions having the fianges 10 and 1l of Figure l are shown in Figures 3 and 4, respectively; and the blank for forming the flanged partition 10 employing the form of' Figure 7 is shown in Figure ll.

This egg-Crate filler is adapted to be collapsed for shipment or reshipment and thus to occupy very little space; but When lled with eggs in its pockets the stiffening strips maintain it in a condition not readily to be collapsed or caused to yield or bend unduly y under ordinary pressure.

Having thus described this invention, I hereby reserve the benefit of ,all changes in forni, arrangement, order, or use of parts, as it is evident that many minor changes may be made therein Without departing from the spirit of this invention or the scope of the fol] owin g claim.

l claim:

An eggscrate filler consisting of flexible interlocking strips disposed substantially at right angles to each other to define cells, .each having oppositely directed projections eX- tending beyond the outermost strips forming the sides of said filler, each of said outermost strips having projections at the terminals thereof antL an overlapping flap therebetween `and arranged at the top vof each strip, and

BERTHOLD A. LANGE. 

